A tanker managed by Abu Dhabi's state oil company appears to have become the first fully loaded liquefied natural gas vessel to cross the Strait of Hormuz since the war with Iran began in late February, according to maritime data firm Kpler. The ship, named Mubaraz, was recently tracked near Sri Lanka after loading cargo at Das Island in early March.

Liquefied natural gas shipments through the strait have largely stopped over the past two months as the United States and Iran imposed restrictions and threats targeting vessels in the Persian Gulf. Before the conflict, roughly one fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas supply originated in the Middle East, with several tankers passing through the strait each day.

The disruption has driven up energy prices in Asia and Europe and reduced production in major exporting countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Many Asian nations that depend heavily on liquefied natural gas have begun shifting to oil and coal for power generation, while some have reduced energy use to cope with tighter supplies.